The Russian State Foundation "Defenders of the Fatherland" previously put forward an initiative to provide veterans of the SVO with cars with manual control. The initiative was supported by the President of the Russian Federation and the State Duma of the Russian Federation.
As part of a working trip to the Republic of Belarus, the foundation's team assessed the capabilities of UNIMO cars for people with disabilities. The cars are equipped with a lift platform, reverse doors, wheelchair fastening mechanisms and much more. You can enter the car directly in a wheelchair - through the rear ramp. After that, the wheelchair is fixed and becomes the driver's seat.
The chairperson of the "Defenders of the Fatherland" Foundation Anna Tsivileva emphasized: "We are talking about heroes who received severe injuries and disabilities while defending the interests of the state. I am sure that they deserve special treatment. For veterans who have lost both legs or move only in wheelchairs, a car with manual control will become a means of rehabilitation and socialization. A car is the only way for them to leave home to study, work, help their families and solve everyday issues."
The "Defenders of the Fatherland" foundation is now ready to provide cars to 400 veterans with severe disabilities. For this purpose, the experience of various car manufacturers is actively studied so that the heroes can choose a car taking into account their needs.
As the practice of prosthetics has shown, it is not enough to simply give a person a means of rehabilitation, it is necessary to help them master it. The "Defenders of the Fatherland" foundation and DOSAAF have concluded a cooperation agreement, within the framework of which veterans of the SVO with disabilities will be taught how to safely drive cars with manual control. Heroes who successfully complete such training will be offered official employment as driving instructors to teach other people with disabilities.